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Post by Javal Zarrias on Dec 5, 2023 17:31:41 GMT -5
Javal ran his fingers over his chin as he looked over the shady warehouse in the market district. This seemed as shady as a mysterious warehouse that was supposed to be abandoned could be. He stepped out of the alley he was in and walked towards the street. He was currently at the end of the market district far away from the hustle and bustle of the main street and now in the area where businesses died. This section was reserved for old businesses that just died, whether from lack of funding or lack of interest. No one came to this side of the market except for shady people and people with something to hide.
That’s exactly where the hideout of a group of poachers was keeping large amounts of Skittermaus. Nadia had tracked down their location and given it to her boss about joining him herself when he waved her off stating how he wanted to take this on his own. Something about this angered him deeply and he was afraid of showing his retainer a side of him he was not ready to divulge. He had a feeling that he was going to lose control if things got ugly and he didn't want anyone to see that.
He walked towards the front entrance of the seemingly abandoned building and kicked the boarded-up doors open (1) shouting, “Huzzah foul villains they cannot escape the cold grip of justice”, before being surprised at what he saw before him. The place did look like abandoned cooking stations and old equipment was scattered with no signs of anyone being there at least at first glance.
1. Bulls Strength
Quest Name: Skitter Back Home
Participants: Two or more
Location: Sol City
Post Requirements: 6 posts per person, 200 words per post
Reward: +1 Renown, Choice of 2 Common crafting materials
Description: Due to their exotic nature and natural beauty, Skittermaus's from the King's Valley have often been the focus of poachers who steal the creatures from their natural habitat and sell them as pets on the black market. While owning one as a pet has never been a crime, the harsh conditions they are kept in and the ill treatment animals receive from their poachers has been frowned upon by local government. The issue has become so dire that officials from Thunderhoof are hiring people to help get the animals back, by any means necessary. Current sources indicate the creatures are being held in dingy warehouses in the captiol, where they are then carted off to be sold at various black market vendors. Help free and return some of these elegant creatures back to the wilds of the valley!
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Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Dec 5, 2023 18:00:22 GMT -5
Coming to the capitol was always a hassle. The crowded streets, the labyrinthine layout, and the constant, unending hunger that the masses of people evoked in Sylvari all combined to make it one of her least favorite places in Charon. Still, it was better than the Marsh Flats, and Sylvari was always one to focus on the bright side of things. She had to be, to survive.
One of the things that made Sol City bearable for the vampiress was Blair and the rest of the staff at the Crooked Moon. The courtesans-turned-wait staff at the inn were one of the few groups that truly welcomed her, curse and all. Blair herself was the person who had given her the tip about this job. Apparently, some criminals were keeping some Skittermaus in deplorable conditions here in the city. As an avid lover of cute pets and a hunter of evildoers besides, Blair was certain that Sylvari would appreciate being the one to resolve the issue. She was right.
The abandoned warehouse where the tip placed the abducted creatures was only a short jog from the Crooked Moon, and Sylvari did a quick scan of the premises, looking for the best point of entry. The front was boarded up, but luckily only a small chain and lock held closed the side door. With a quick swipe from the butt of her hammer, Sylvari sundered the feeble protection and strode into the room.
Sylvari would be the first to admit she wasn't a force that relied on stealth to accomplish her goals. As she stepped into what looked like an empty cooking house, she saw an old friend who was even less given to sneaking about. Sylvari stepped out of the shadows to greet the fellblood.
"Adept at breaking structures as well as crafting them, I see. Javal, a pleasure. I presume you're here about the job?"
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Post by Javal Zarrias on Dec 6, 2023 3:59:09 GMT -5
Javal glanced around the large room as he entered further before suddenly seeing something emerge from the shadows. He grabbed his katana from his waist and was about to pull it out in defense before getting a better look at what emerged, an old familiar friend he hadn’t seen in a little bit.
He quickly raised his hand to await his weapon and smiled waving at the other woman, “Hello there friend Sylvari! How’re you doing? As for what you mentioned you can say that and yes I had heard the rumors coming from here and decided to check it out to crush anything that was going on here”.
He then motions towards the abandoned state of the place and says, “Although I’m not too sure if the rumor was true since it looks abandoned and untouched however I could be wrong”.
He then started investigating the scene picking up and moving things trying to look for any clues of someone being there. As he worked he spoke to his fellow adventurer interested about what she had been up to, “So Sylvari what have you been up to friend? Any incredible and dangerous adventurers you’ve been on? Have you gotten any stronger since the last time we meant?”, he then pauses as he glances at something in the corner of his eye walking towards it before saying, “What’s this?”.
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Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Dec 6, 2023 10:54:57 GMT -5
Sylvari smiled, despite their macabre surroundings, at Javal's questions. He was as energetic and gregarious as she remembered.
"I should certainly hope I have grown since then. It's been quite some time indeed. I still may not hold a candle to your prowess, dear, but I no longer feel like a bumbling babe amongst a great company of fighting men, so I shan't begrudge my progress. As to my specific activity in Charon, I believe I hinted at our first meeting of the oath that compels me to be the sword arm of justice throughout the lands. I have continued in this directive and gone wherever I was needed. And you? Still sailing the seas with your crew?"
Sylvari quirked a brow as Javal spied a conspicuous rug in front of one of the stations, where the worn wood of a trapdoor could be just seen poking out behind the corner. Sylvari had noticed the secret entrance early on in her conversation, not through any special perception of her own, but born of simple, hard-won experience. This was, unfortunately, not the first time she had been tasked with clearing an allegedly abandoned warehouse of contraband, and the general patterns of smugglers were fairly simple to decipher, if one knew what to look for. Still, she had held her tongue, out of a sense of propriety for returning the polite conversation and also to give Javal the satisfaction of being the one to find the first lead. He was the first one on the scene, after all.
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Post by Javal Zarrias on Dec 6, 2023 15:39:04 GMT -5
Javal grinned happily as he heard Sylvari speak, “That’s great Sylvari to hear. I hope one of these days we can have a spar so I can see how far you’ve come myself. Woah you have a sword arm of justice? Where is it? I just see two human armored arms. Is it invisible? Can I get the sword arm of justice? As for me, I do not have a sword arm yet I have indeed been sailing the seas with my crew, fighting bad guys, learning new techniques, and all the cool fun stuff”.
He then noticed there was an old blue faded rug at one of the stations to his right; he quickly jogged over to it and looked at it curiously.
“Hm, this rug looks nice. I wonder whose it is? I think the previous owners must’ve missed it. I should return this to them as soon as I figure out who owned this place before”.
He then crouches down to pick up the rug only to reveal a wooden hatch under it. Javal exclaims, “Woah perhaps the operation is down here? What do you think of Sylvari?”.
After hearing her response he decides to slash it in half with his katana to reveal a way down led by stairs. He falls and begins to climb down excited to see what is under Assuming that indeed perhaps the criminals are hiding down here.
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Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Dec 6, 2023 16:14:55 GMT -5
Sylvari allowed a puzzled grin to dominate her face as she stared at Javal quizzically. Did I truly speak so strangely in metaphor, or is he just messing with me? Whatever the case, the moment to question her fellblooded friend quickly passed as he moved over to reveal the trap door in question. His question as to her thoughts on the secret entrance prompted a series of small giggles from Sylvari.
"Unless they have trained the creatures to be silent and rendered them invisible with magic here in this room, I do believe their true proceedings occur below, yes. Smuggling operations such as these tend to enjoy multiple layers of cover to escape notice by local authorities."
In response, Javal quickly slashed the reinforced wood apart, an impressive blow, and a conspicuous one. Sylvari winced slightly. The smugglers might have reasonably assumed that the guard had raided the compound on a tip, but such a feat of superhuman strength and precision was far above the means of of a rank and file guardsman, leaving only adventurers to be likely culprits. She worried that those who had been inquiring after the job being the target of retribution, thinking of the girls at the Crooked Moon. Sylvari sighed.
What's done is done. Blair and the girls can take care of themselves. Our top priority must be the smuggled creatures and bringing the criminals to justice if any linger here.
Sylvari followed Javal gingerly down the narrow stairwell. In all likelihood, any stragglers would have heard the explosive strike and scattered, but, on the off chance they didn't, her clanking metal armor was far more likely to attract attention that Javal's considerably lighter garb.
As the pair made their way down to the bottom of the stairs, the sound of hundreds of caged creatures could be heard well before there was sight of them, particularly given that it was pitch black in this sub level. Sylvari quietly intoned to cover her eyes in darkness and be able to see in the gloom [Ebon Eyes]. Her new vision confirmed what she had expected, row upon row of cages, housing several Skittermaus each. She narrowed her eyes at the situation.
She wasn't sure about the particulars of the exotic animal market, but she knew smuggling. Leaving one's stock unattended, even concealed as this had been was an amateur move that belied the great sum of merchandise before them. Likely such foolishness would have crushed the perpetrator long before they were able to acquire so much.
"I don't like this, Javal. It smells like a trap. Be on your guard..."
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Post by Javal Zarrias on Dec 6, 2023 17:42:58 GMT -5
Javal climbed down the stairwell carefully looking down to see if he could spot anything. It was very dark and he didn’t know when they’d stop. After a little bit, they had stopped and there were hundreds of Skittermaus crying out in distress.
Javal clenched his fists, angered and upset at what they’d found, he turned to Sylvair and said, “I don’t like this either. I don't care if it’s a trap, I hope it is. However, behind this is going to feel my wrath and get crushed. This is simply inhumane and disgusting. We must find those responsible at once. Let’s free the little wonders after we find them”.
He then rushed to look around for any signs of a trail finding a wooden door in the corner. He called Sylvari over only to hear the sounds of moving behind it and hushed whispers. He quickly slashes through the door only to find it filled with armed goons who scramble out pushing the fellbood out of the way and ready to fight the two adventurers.
Javal stands firm a scowl on his face as he takes out his katana and longsword and looks around at the four goons surrounding him glancing at Sylvari surrounded by three before exclaiming, “Let’s see how strong you’ve gotten my friend”.
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Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Dec 6, 2023 17:58:05 GMT -5
Sylvari pressed a pair of fingers to her temple, suddenly feeling the exasperation of her parents. She'd be the first to admit she could be zealous to the point of carelessness, but Javal took devotion to a whole new echelon. Such an obvious and brash clash with the criminal enterprise would only serve to allow the ringleaders and partners to slink off in the shadows, scattered and immeasurably harder to track down. Valor had its place, but indiscretion made the former worthless.
At least they could free the animals without incident: these meager forces wouldn't stand against the justiciar alone, and she wagered that Javal still outstripped her in pure martial skill. True to form, her companion was a whirlwind of deadly motion, swiftly dispatching any who got close. Some of the smarter troublemakers edged around the bladed tornado to form a tight packed group to rush Sylvari, who stood defiantly between them and escape, at the bottom of the stairs. Smarter, but not smart.
It wasn't the justiciar's style, but there had to be a bit of damage control in her little party, and she figured it was time she did the work she'd caused so often. Everyone has to grow up some time.
Sylvari patiently waited for them to close, waiting to make her move until she could get the whole group in her reach. More intelligent foes might have taken pause at the utter indifference Sylvari held them in, but they likely only saw a woman playing at war. More's the pity for them.
As they converged on her located, Sylvari relseased the dark arcana she had been storing up within herself with a single fell word that carried unnaturally far, even amongst the din of combat. "Begone." A wave of black energy pulsed out in a corona from the justiciar, overwhelming some just with the weight of the blast and flinging the more hardy individuals into the walls of the cellar and knocking them out [Death Wave]. All a bit banal. I would have liked to get at the elites. they might have posed a challenge. Oh well.
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Post by Javal Zarrias on Dec 6, 2023 19:25:02 GMT -5
Javal grinned as the four goons charged at him he closed his eyes and focused holding both of his swords in the air. He then swung them catching two of the goons in the chest before spinning around and kicking one that charged at him with a knife in the head. These guys were a sore excuse for goons considering how weapon they were.
He stabbed his blade into one of their shoulders before kneeing him in the chest and pushing him on his back. He pinned backward and slashed the other three as they charged at him. They staggered back reeling from the pain giving Javal a chance to place his hands to his side and gather water in the air. He then pushed it outwards sending a wave of water to the four around him slamming them to the ground and leaving them groaning in pain. He steps over one of the goons on the floor and takes out his long sword from his shoulder.
Javal exclaims sternly as he stands over the goons, “That is enough vile fiends surrender yourself at once and reveal the rest of the operation since it's obvious you have lost and cannot keep up with the fists of justice".
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Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Dec 6, 2023 20:22:48 GMT -5
After quickly dispatching her own set of foes, and seeing that Javal had his group well in hand, of course, Sylvari began to walk the long aisles of Skittermaus enclosures. The cages were cramped, pathetic little things of roughly crafted wire, and several of the poor creatures were bleeding from where the sharp metal cut against their flesh. Sylvari was incensed at this inhumane treatment. Even at a base practical level, surely the profit margins for injured creatures were less than healthy ones. Were the costs of proper holding cells truly so prohibitive, or was this operation the brainchild of a sadist?
Coming to the end of the long room, Sylvari discovered an escape tunnel with signs of recent use, hidden behind some storage equipment. The justiciar sighed deeply. So I was right. There were more than just those buffoons down here. Shame we didn't get the leaders, but at least they seem to have left in such a hurry as to not spirit away their merchandise.
"Javal! When you're finished over there, would you be so kind as to come this way? I think our mutual background in amateur carpentry might come in handy here."
Sylvari smiled looking down at some discarded pallets near where she stood, leaning against a wall of the room. If they could fashion a few makeshift containers for the Skittermaus, it would be a much easier transport. The proposed boxes would certainly be fairly cramped, but they wouldn't keep hurting the pitiable beasts. Besides, it was only a short walk to the harbormaster's office. Certainly they could procure better accommodations on the journey back to Thunderhoof.
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Post by Javal Zarrias on Dec 7, 2023 4:55:32 GMT -5
The goons around Javal stir from their stagger and try one last time to gang up on him before he quickly dispatched them with a single long sweep of his two blades knocking them back down on their bottoms.
“Not today foul fiends”, he chuckled before turning serious for a moment, “If you try and do something like that again I’m not going to stop trying to knock you down. Instead you’ll meet the end of your villainy at my hand and you’d be gone”, before returning to his cheerful demeanor jogging over where Sylvari was standing.
The criminals stay put not even daring to move after Javal’s scary intimidation preferring to not test the fellblood fighter.
“What is the commotion my friend? Our mutual carpentry ability? What do you mean friend Sylvari?”.
He then looks around noticing the pallets and smirks thinking he understood the other adventurer’s idea.
“Well how may we begin if that is what we’re doing? Do you have nails or a hammer friend? If not I’m sure we can figure out something”, he then looks around and finds some rusty nails, "Perhaps these could be of help? I can try to hammer in with the bottom of my sword?".
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Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Dec 7, 2023 12:36:20 GMT -5
Sylvari let out a hearty chuckle at Javal's suggestion, grateful for a bit of levity given their macabre surroundings.
"You know, Javal, a big hammer such as this," Sylvari began, hefting her mighty warhammer in her dominant hand, "Is just as capable of putting nails to wood as its lesser brethren. Save your swords: we may have need of them yet." Sylvari, with Javal's assistance began the process of assembling ramshackle containers for the little creatures.
She looked at various intervals over to where the smugglers still cowered, too cowed by their prowess to hazard any more aggressive action. Interesting decision with those criminals. I can understand a distaste for killing, but surely rendering them unconscious is less risky. Then again, such is definitely easier with the blunt trauma of a hammer than the cutting edge of dual swords. I can merely hold my blows and knock them out, whereas he would need to use the pommels or else hold the blades to use the weapons as improvised clubs.
Sylvari's musings made the simple work a quick matter, and before long, the pair had several arm length by arm length boxes for the Skittermaus. She looked over to Javal and cocked her head to the side questioningly.
"Well, that's that. What exactly are you planning on doing with them, dear?" Sylvari asked, motioning with her hammer to the frightened goons.
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Post by Javal Zarrias on Dec 11, 2023 3:03:01 GMT -5
Javal lets out a loud exclamation of realization as Sylvari heaves her hammer in the air, “Ah pardon me Sylvari I had forgotten about the use of a great war hammer as an actual hammer, to be honest. I’m so used to seeing it in battle and hammering down against some sort of enemy or friend instead of simply hammering nails into wood”, he says in a cheery tone.
The fellblood then focuses back on the task at hand and goes hard at work to make sure that the ramshackle for the skittermaus is the best he could make it. He makes quick work of it, especially thanks to working with Sylvari he enjoys it thinking back on his first meeting with the justiciar.
After standing back and observing their hard work he wipes the sweat off his forehead before smiling as he responds to his fellow adventurer’s question, “Well that’s an easy question to answer why do I plan to accompany these devious fellows back to the constable station to answer for their crimes of animal trafficking. After all stuff like this cannot be left as such they must answer for their crimes under the honorable fist of the law”, he says taking a long glance at the goons on the floor groaning about their wounds.
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Post by Sylvari Dawnsage on Dec 11, 2023 9:03:16 GMT -5
Sylvari smiled at that. For whatever else Javal was, he was a steadfast and honorable man: a good person, and that meant Sylvari could forgive any fault.
"Sounds like just the thing, dear. Alright then, I'll began transferring the creatures to our new enclosure and you take those criminals to justice. I should be very nearly done by time you return."
Sylvari began contentedly humming to herself as she methodically went about the room, collecting each cage with care, so as not to jostle the creatures within and reopen any scarred wounds, and bringing them to the large fashioned crate where she delicately placed each animal within. The Skittermaus themselves, whether it was due to the pain of recent trauma or just a natural lack of intelligence, were docile and allowed the kind justiciar to place them as she saw fit, without excess motion.
The justiciar went, row by row, to collect every last creature she could, sometimes pouring great gouts of healing energy into the ones that were more seriously injured [Celestial, Holy Gifts (Massive Healing)]. Though she wished she could do this for every creature, Sylvari knew she only had a limited reserve of mana, for though her patron granted her this power, it was she who exercised and fueled it. Thus, she was careful and sparing with her magics, but afforded equal care to each creature as she emptied more and more of the cages.
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Post by Javal Zarrias on Dec 12, 2023 18:30:33 GMT -5
Javal smiled as he stood Sylvari was great to work with, “Awesome I’ll head over there now get these guys in their proper place and come back hopefully fast enough to at least help you finish up here”, he said walking behind the criminals that were now in a line and had their heads lowered in fear.
He waved her bye and said, “I’ll be right back friend Sylvari”, and left in tow with the criminals in front of him after walking through the markets, the people of the city booing and looking at the scene with nervousness.
He arrived at the station and explained the situation and the guards quickly thanked the fellow and placed them into their cells. He even received a nice bag of solars which he asked to be placed into two bags for Sylvari considering she was also a great help during this. He then quickly sprinted out of the station and ran back towards the warehouse about twenty minutes passed before he arrived once more in front of the warehouse huffing and puffing before walking back to the spot where he was waving at Sylvari and handing her bag of solars before taking a second to breathe.
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